Dispensing machine



H 2%, 193? F. w. HOBAN DISPENSING MACHINE 4 Sheets-Sheefl Filed May 31, 1935 2/ INVENTOR Fm'rfzeld Wfioban BY m KM 1 04;

N A B O H w F DISPENSING MACHINE 1955 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed May 31 WM/Z.

ATTORNEY F. w. HOBAN 2,103,367

DISPENS ING MACHINE Filed May 31, 1935 Lu -xii I 8 o a INVENTOR Fair/Ze/d W Hobad 24 4%. ATTORNEY 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 28, 1937. F. w. HOBAN DISPENSING MACHINE Filed May 51, 1955' 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 7 4 "W 3 J 7 4 a INVENTOR Fair/Dela WHoban Patented Dec. 28, 1937 DISPENSING MACHINE OFFICE 1 V 4'-4"of Figure 6, illustrating the coin controlled release;

William Hoban, New stark, N. Y.,asg

signer to Stewart & Mcfiiiiiie, me, New York;

N. Y., a corporation of New York 7 Application May 31; 1935, Serial No. 24,402 13" cla s. witn ss)- The present invention relates 'to dispensing machines.

The dispensing machines forming the subject matter of the present improvements are of a type particularly. useful in vending or dispensing arti-' cles one at a time from a plurality of magazines, in sequence. Where al'l'the' articles to be disperised arelidentical, such, for example, as packages of matches, cigarettes, razor blades, etc., it is possible to use a number of stacks or magazines side" by side and remove one such article at atim'efrom the mag'azine'in succession. This conserves space and makes the machine more compact, and insures that an adequate reserve of articles may be kept in each magazine;

Theipresent invention contemplates that a single operating means willbe' operated a step at a timexandvatzeach' such manipulation will dispense one article from a certain magazine and carry the dispensing devices associated with the other magazines through idle steps (in their respective cyclesof operation), placing one" such devicein a'position such that, onthe next manipulation of'the-operating: means,- an article will be dis pensed from the correspondingimagazinez -A-;f-urther object of the present invention is to so arrange the operating mechanism that it is behind the magazines'whereb-y the magazines are free of obstructionsand theirrefilling easily accomplished; y

Suitablecoin control mehanism is provided so th'atithedispensing mechanism may be freedfor one operation and locked against another opera-" tion.

Other and further objects of the present invention will appear as the description proceeds. The accompanyingdr'awin'gs show, for purposes of illustration, two of the many embodiments in which the invention may take form, it being understood that the drawings are illustrative" of the invention rather than limiting the same.

' In these drawings:

Figs. 1 and 2 are'fr0'ntand" sideelevational views" of the dispensing machine;

Fig. 3" is a front' elevational View of the madispensed; H V t Fig. 4 is a vertical sectional viewion" the line Fig. 5 a'horizontal sectional view on the line 55- oi -Figure 4 illustrating a portion of the operating mechanismy Fig; 6 is a vertical sectional View on the line 6' -6vof Figures 4* and 5';

Fig: .7 is afragmentary sectional view on the line of Figure 6'showing stop mechanism;

Fig.- 8' isa Vertical section on the line 8-8 of Figure 6 illustratingthe operating mechanism;

Fig.9 is a" vertical sectional view on the line 9=+9' of Figure 6;

Fig. 10 is a rear elevational view of the storage magazines and ejectors;

Figs; 11 and mare-fragmentary sectional views on the line- H- -H' of Figure 10 illustrating the ejector's; and" Fig. 13* illustrates-.a'iragm'ent of a dispensing machine having one magazine and a single ejector. s V r The cabinet for enclosing the mechanism has a. backwali-l-Mside walls" II and i2,- and a bottom walli-3: Thefront hinged panel I4 is provided with'a' locle'l-E andarearwardly extending flange i Hi; The top of the cabinet I! is hinged as indi- 28 and 29. The end members have rearwardly extendingspacers 30- and 3| to engage the back wall oi the cabinet,and;their lower ends pass down throughholes in the member 25 and rest on the bottom of the cabinet; The stationary chutes or magazines for articles to be dispensed are-here shown as'four in -number at 32, 33, 3t, and respectively. These magazines are in theform-of-vertical channels with rear walls 36- secured to the; cross-'p ieces 28 and 29. inwardly facing front flanges 3 and bottom flanges 38; The lower partof the back wallt-G is cut away, as indicated at-3 9. (Fig. 10) It will, of course, be understood that these magazines will be designed to'accommodatethe particular article' to be dispensed by; the machine.

The dispensingmechanism employs a single, transversely disposed operating shaft 40 adapted V to be turned counter-clockwise at a time by curately timed to be 90 apart. If the machine has a different number of magazines the number of cams, their angular relation and the amount the shaft is turned per step, will be adjusted accordingly in the design.

Each of the magazines pivotally supports two swinging arms 45 at 46. These arms are arranged in pairs and are held in position by guides 46' carried by the magazines, and each pair of arms carries, at their lower ends, a. shaft 41 on which a spring pressed finger 48 is mounted. The finger can yield when the arms are moved to the left (as shown in Figure 12) and abuts a stop 49 when the arms are moved to the right (as shown in Figure 11). The arms are shaped, as indicated in Figure 9 to embrace the corresponding cams so that each pair of arms may be swung back and forth in unison by the cams.

The cams are so timed that at each quarter turn of the shaft one set of arms is shifted from the front toward the rear position and hence an article, such as a book of matches is pushed out of or ejected from. the bottom of the corresponding magazine. This is illustrated in Figure 11.

While the arrangement of eccentric cams on a shaft and bifurcated swinging followers is illustrated for the purpose of showing a form of mechanism for swinging the arms 45 back and forth on the desired sequence, it is of course understood that various other mechanisms may be employed to effect the sequential operation.

The shaft 40 extends beyond the right hand frame member 26 where it is provided with ratchet wheel 50 having four teeth, cooperable with a pawl 5| carried by an operating lever 52 pivoted at 53 to the frame. The lever is urged to the up position by a coiled spring 54 and the pawl 5| pressed into engagement with the ratchet wheel 50 by a spring 55. The movement of the lever is limited by arms 56 and 51 fixedly carried thereby and adapted to engage a rubber bumper 58. The lever 52 extends through a reciprocable slot closer 52a carried by a front plate 52b which is supported by the frame behind the front of the casing. Each time the lever is depressed the shaft 40 is given a quarter turn in a counter-clockwise direction. Retrograde movement of substantial amount is prevented by a retaining pawl 59 riding on a ratchet wheel 50.

Where the dispensing mechanism above described is designed for use as a vendor, suitable coin-operated mechanism is employed. This will now be described.

The front of the cabinet is provided with a coin opening Si in line with a coin chute 62 which inclines downwardly toward the rear of the cabinet as clearly shown in Fig. 4. It may be provided with a magnet 63 to stop magnetic slugs. The coin rolls down to a stop plate 64, then falls down to a platform 65, and rolls forward onto a scale 66 pivoted at 61 on a scavenger 82 and balanced at 68. The reversal of motion of the coin in the U-shaped coin guide makes it certain that any impetus given the coin by pushing it into the coin opening is absorbed before the coin reaches the scale.

If the coin is of the proper weight it will tip the scale and roll into the chute 69 and then pass into one of the four coin receiving pockets 10 on a disc H pinned to the shaft 40 and secured to the ratchet wheels 50 and 60. If one now presses down on the lever 52, the coin C will be brought against the nose 12 of a locking pawl 13 which is spring pressed against the face of the disc 1!. The coin lifts the pawl 13 a sufficient amount to raise the shoulder H above the notch 15 on the disc H. The shaft may then be turned a quarter of a revolution whereupon the shoulder 14 engages With another notch 15 and stops the turning of the shaft.

To insure that the shaft is in exactly the proper position to receive the coin, the shaft is also provided with a four notch cam 16 (Figure 7) against which an arm 11 is held by a spring 18. This arm has a lug 19 to fit the notches in the cam 16 and the spring is strong enough to seat the lug in the notch and turn the shaft back a slight amount, as indicated by the spacing of the parts 74 and 15 in Figure 4. The rear end of the arm 1'! is provided with a link which extends up to a lateral extension 8| carried by the scavenging device 82 indicated in Figure 6. When the operating lever is pressed down to bring the notch 15 toward the shoulder 14 the coin chute is opened againstthe tension spring 83 each time one starts to operate the dispensing apparatus, and allows undersize or underweight coins, slugs, and the like to fall out of the chute and off the scale. These strike a shield 84 which covers the operating mechanism and pass down adjacent the side of the cabinet into the merchandise trough and are returned to the operator.

A dummy 85 larger than the articles being dispensed may be placed on top of the articles in one magazine and when the supply of merchandise is exhausted, the dummy stops the machine. It is too high to pass out through the opening 39.

From the foregoing it will be apparent that a very compact and serviceable vending and dispensing machine has been provided for the purpose of mechanically merchandising identical articles from a number of magazines one at a time.

In the arrangement shown in Fig. 13, arms are pivoted at 9| to a magazine 92. The arms carry a spring-pressed finger 93 similar to finger 48. A depressible bell crank lever 94 may be used to operate the arms to eject an article from the magazine, as indicated in dotted lines, and a coiled spring 95 employed to return the ejector to the front position.

It is obvious that the invention may be embodied in many forms and constructions, and I wish it to be understood that the particular forms shown are but two of the many forms. Various modifications and changes being possible, I do not otherwise limit myself in any way with respect thereto.

What is claimed is:

1. A dispensing device having a plurality of storage magazines arranged side by side, a reciprocatory element movable underneatheachmagazine for removing the lowermost article from the corresponding magazine, actuating means for positively shifting each reciprocatory element in each direction, said means extending upwardly alongside the corresponding magazines, and a transversely extending unitary step by step operator for all of said actuating means and movable only when all the reciprocatory elements are free to move, the operator being disposed above the bottoms of the magazines and connected to the actuating means so that at each step only one reciprocatory element engages an article to remove it.

2. A dispensing device having a plurality of magazines for the storage of articles to be dispensed, a reciprocatory element below each magazine for removing the lowermost article from the corresponding magazine, a rotary cam for positively shifting each reciprocatory element in each direction, a common operating shaft to which the cams are connected, the shaft extending transversely of the magazines and being. mounted in bearings fixed relative to the magazines, and means to operate the shaft step by step, the cams; being timed so that one reciprocatory element functions to removean article at each step the shaft is turned. 3. In a dispensing machine a plurality of storage magazines arranged side by side, each adapt ed .to contain a stack of articles to be dispensed, an oscillatory arm cooperatively associated with each magazine for removing an article therefrom onalternate movements of said arm, a common operating shaft extending transversely of the magazines and mounted in bearings fixed relative to the magazines, means for turning the shaft step by step a partial revolution, and a connection between each arm and the shaft for positively moving the arm back and forth at each complete revolution of the shaft, whereby the shaft may be turned only when all the arms are free to move the connections being timed so that only one arm functions to remove an article for each step of the shaft operating means.

4. A dispensing device having an operating shaft, means to turn the shaft step by step, a plurality of cams carried by the shaft, the number corresponding with the number of steps to complete a revolution of the shaft, the cams being angularly displaced from one another an equal amount, a magazine corresponding with each cam, and an oscillatory follower for each cam and movable in both directions thereby, each follower carrying a device for removing one article from the magazine for each rotation of the corresponding cam.

5. A dispensing device having an operating shaft, means to turn the shaft step by step, a

plurality of cams carried by the shaft, thenumber corresponding with the number of steps to complete a revolution of the shaft, the cams being angularly displaced from one another an equal amount, a magazine corresponding with each cam, and an oscillatory follower for each cam and movable in both directions thereby, each follower being pivoted adjacent the upper end of the corresponding magazine and carrying a device movable past the lower end thereof for removing one article from the magazine for each rotation of the corresponding cam.

6. In a dispensing machine, a vertically disposed magazine, the magazine having bottom elements to support a stack of articles to be dispensed and having an open side near the bottom through which the article may be removed, swinging arms pivoted at their upper ends to the magazine, a cross member carried by the arms for movement back and forth under the magazine,

a foldable finger on the cross member for moving the article out of the magazine when the arms are swung in one direction and to fold under the stack when the arms are swung in the other direction, a transverse shaft, shaft bearings fixed relative to the magazine, and cams carried by the shaft and operatively engaging the arms for positively swinging the arms back and forth.

'7. In a dispensing machine, a plurality of vertically disposed magazines, each magazine having bottom elements to support a stack of articles to be dispensed and having an open side near the bottom through which the article may be removed, swinging arms pivoted at their upper ends to each magazine, a cross member carried by each pair of arms for movement back and forth under the corresponding magazine, a foldable finger on each cross member for moving the article out of the magazine when the arms are swung in one direction and to fold under the stack when the arms are swung in the other direction, a transverse shaft, shaft bearings fixed relative to the magazines, and earns carried by the shaft for positively swinging the arms back and forth, the cams being timed so that the articles are dis-,- pensedfrom one magazine after another.

8. A dispensing machine having a frame with vertical end members and horizontal connecting members, a plurality of vertically extending magazines secured to the horizontal members of the frame the'magazines being spaced apart, a horizontal shaft supported behind the magazines, step by step ineans to turn-the shaft a partial revolution, cams carried by the shaft and entering the spaces between the magazines, oscillatory arms pivoted to the magazines and engaging the cams to be swung back and forth by the cams, and devices carried by the lower end of the arms for removing the articles from the magazines, the cams being timed so that one cam actuates the corresponding arm to remove an article from the corresponding magazine for each step the shaft is advanced.

9. A dispensing machine having a horizontal operating shaft, means for turning the shaft step by step to complete a cycle of operations in one revolution, a plurality of pairs of cams carried by the shaft, the pairs of cams being angularly spaced, from one another an equal amount, vertical storage magazines for articles to be dispensed, each magazine being placed between the cams of a pair, rockable arms pivoted to each magazine and operable back and forth by the cams, and a foldable finger carried by the free ends of the arms of each pair, each finger being movable past the lower end of the corresponding magazine to remove an articletherefrom when the arms are swung in one direction and being foldable under the stack when the arms are swung in the other direction.

10. In a dispensing machine, the combination with a vertically disposed magazine adapted to receive a stack of articles to be dispensed and having article supporting means at the bottom and an opening through which the lowermost article may be discharged, of an arm pivotally supported at its upper end and carrying a finger at its lower end adapted to traverse the bottom of the magazine and push an article out through the opening, arm swinging means to positively swing the arm back and forth, and means for locking the last-mentioned means against movement whenever the arm is not free to move.

11. In a dispensing machine, the combination with a vertically disposed magazine adapted to receive a stack of articles to be dispensed and having article supporting means at the bottom and an opening through which the lowermost article may be discharged, of a pair of arms, fixed pivots for the upper ends of the arms, the arms carrying a pivoted finger at their lower ends adapted to traverse the bottom 'of the magazine and push an article out through the opening when the arms are swung in one direction and to fold under the stack when the arms are swung in the other direction, and means to swing tion with a vertically disposed magazine adapted to receive a stack of articles to be dispensed and having article supporting means at the bottom and an opening through which the lowermost article may be discharged, of a pair of arms pivotally supported at their upper ends to the opposite sides of the magazine, means operating on both arms to swing them back and forth, the lower ends of the arms extending below the bottom of the magazine and carrying a transverse shaft, and a shaft carried spring adapted to traverse the bottom of the magazine and push an article out through the opening when the arms are swung in one direction and to fold under the stack when the arms are swung in the other direction.

13. In a dispensing machine, the combination with a vertically disposed magazine adapted to receive a stack of articles to be dispensed and having article supporting means at the bottom and an opening through which the lowermost article may be discharged, of a pair of arms pivotally supported at their upper ends to the opposite sides of the magazine, rotatable cams acting on the arms to swing them back and forth, the lower ends of the arms extending below the bottom of the magazine and carrying a transverse shaft, and a shaft carried finger adapted to traverse the bottom of the magazine and push an article out through the opening when the arms are swung in one direction and to fold under the stack when the arms are swung in the other direction.

FAIRFIELD WILLIAM HOBAN. 

